1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a braking device, more particularly to a braking device for use in a baby stroller.
2. Related Art
The braking device of a stroller is well known for the persons in the art, and this device is necessary equipment for a wheeled infant stroller. Generally, a stroller is equipped with more than three wheels including at least a pair of rear wheels. For safer and more reliable braking results, the braking device is needed to restrict the rotating of, the two rear wheels, which are rotating individually. It will be a better design to synchronously brake these two rear wheels simultaneously.
To meet the demands of the foregoing description, there are some disclosed braking devices for a stroller. Such as patent of Germany, DE29818659U1, which discloses a braking device having the ability to brake and release two rear wheels simultaneously. This braking device introduces a pedal or a protruding member which is capable of reciprocating motion along a straight line to interact with a braking tube that moves along the axis of a wheel axle and is capable of holding the petal-like fins of the wheel axle. The function of the braking of the wheels is performed by stepping on the protruding member while the function of releasing the wheels is performed by raising up the protruding member using the toes.
Another patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,399, discloses a different kind of braking device. In this case, it introduces a pedal which can wiggle up and down and connects two braking rods. In the bottom of the pedal, there is a pair of inclined planes keeping a fixed included angle therewith. While operating braking activities, the pedal is stepped on, and the inclined planes are, then, pushed into a spoke. To release the braking status, we still use our toe to raise the pedal.
The foregoing examples illustrate the general operating principle to brake the stroller with toes by stepping on a pedal and to release it also with toes by lifting the pedal. Although the operating method in either step is simple, the operator needs to use the tip of his or her shoe. This can cause damages to the shoe.
Accordingly, the present invention provides mainly a braking device for the stroller with an easy operating method to solve the forgoing problems. The present invention discloses a braking device which does a double braking in one step, that is, braking two rear wheels simultaneously.
In order to meet the object, the present invention includes the following equipment:
a pair of braking wheels, which have a plurality of radially extending support ribs and forms a plurality of openings between the ribs, fixed on both left and right wheels of the stroller and rotating synchronously with them;
a pedal, which wiggles left and right to operate the braking and releasing motion of the stroller;
a rotary cam member, which includes a rolling dish pivotally connected to the stroller and provided for being mounted by the pedal and a cam ditch on the rolling dish for converting a rotary motion thereof to a linear back and forth motion;
a pair of braking rods, which include a left braking rod and a right braking rod; the left braking rod and the right braking rod are connected to the rolling dish at one end thereof, carried by the rolling dish to move along a linear direction parallel to the wheel axis back and forth, and do a braking and releasing operation by stretching into and drawing out from the openings between ribs of the braking wheels at the other free ends.
In the first embodiment of the present invention, the rolling dish connects one end of the left braking rod and the right braking rod through a pair of linking bars provided for carrying these two braking rods to move along the direction parallel to the wheel axis back and forth.
While in the second embodiment of the present invention, a pair of cam ditches are symmetrically located on the rolling dishes and provided for connection to one end of the left braking rod and the right braking rod. The left braking rod and the right braking rod are carried by the rolling dish to move along a linear direction parallel to the wheel axis back and forth and do a braking and releasing operation by stretching into and drawing out from the openings between ribs of the braking wheels at the other free ends.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.